Abstract
The thickness and compaction degree of the overburden soil on the beach of the uranium tailings reservoir has an important influence on the radon reduction rate. A theoretical model of radon exhalation is established and an experimental device is designed. The main results are as follows. (1) The radon reduction rate increases with the increase of thickness. When the soil compaction degree is 85.5%, 90.2%, and 94.8%, the radon reduction efficiency increases significantly when the thickness increases from 5 cm to 10 cm, and when the soil thickness is over 10 cm, the increase of radon reduction efficiency tends to be stable. When the compaction degree is 80.9%, the radon reduction rate always increases obviously with the increase of the thickness of the overburden soil, but the increase rate shows a downward trend. (2) The radon reduction rate increases gradually with the increase of compaction degree, and the increasing trend becomes less obvious when the compaction degree is more than 85.5%. Besides, the effect of the change of soil compaction on radon reduction rate decreases with the increase of soil thickness. The calculation formulas about the effect of thickness and compaction degree on radon reduction rate can guide the design and construction of radiation protection of uranium tailings reservoir.
Highlights
A large amount of uranium tailings produced in the process of uranium extraction and utilization is accumulated to form a uranium tailing reservoir
Radon exhalation rate refers to the activity of radon exhaled into the air through the surface of the medium in unit time [4]. e influence of volumetric moisture content of emanation media on the radon exhalation rate of the beach of the uranium tailings reservoir has been studied in several research studies [5]. e results show that, at first, with the increase of volumetric moisture content, the radon exhalation rate rises; after that, the radon exhalation rate decreases with the increase of volumetric moisture content of the beach of the uranium tailings reservoir
The researchers studied the influence of the density of laterite on radon diffusion and found that the radon diffusion coefficient decreased with the increase of laterite density, which was mainly caused by the change of laterite porosity [6]
Summary
A large amount of uranium tailings produced in the process of uranium extraction and utilization is accumulated to form a uranium tailing reservoir. The radionuclide radon produced can be migrated to residential quarter through seepage and exhalation from the surface [1, 2] It is an economical and effective measure to reduce radon exhalation by covering soil on the surface of uranium tailings reservoir [3]. E influence of volumetric moisture content of emanation media on the radon exhalation rate of the beach of the uranium tailings reservoir has been studied in several research studies [5]. Taking a uranium tailings reservoir in South China as an example, the research analyses the influence of overburden soil thickness and compaction degree on radon reduction rate by using a self-made test device and RAD-7 radon detector, providing a reference for decommissioning disposal of the uranium tailings reservoir
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